Slovakian mine collapse

An explosion at a coal mine in northern Slovakia on Monday left miners and rescue workers trapped and injured. Nine miners were injured and 19 more were trapped inside the mine with no contact with the outside world after a suspected gas explosion.

Handlova mine, which is 195 km (129 miles) northeast of Bratislava, is run by Hornonitrianske Bane Prievidza, the largest mining company in Slovakia.

There had been a fire in the mine earlier on Monday morning, according to a spokeswoman for the company. Two rescue teams had been sent into the mine to deal with the fire.

"On the basis of information from witnesses, there probably was an explosion of secondary flammable gases that had amassed after the fire," Adriana Sivakova said.

"We lost telephone contact at around 9:30 a.m. and sensors monitoring the level of mine gases stopped working," she said. "Currently we are not able to establish contact with 19 miners."

There was no word on the condition of the trapped miners or the members of the rescue teams.

Nine other miners suffered light injuries and were being treated in hospital.

Prime Minister Robert Fico was on the way to the Handlova mine, the government office said.

sjt/Reuters/AP

Editor: Michael Lawton